So-called Nkrumahists Have Made Ghana Worse – JJ Rawlings

Post by Peace Ezebuiro

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Former president Jerry John Rawlings has vented his full anger on both past and present Ghanaian leaders, especially the ones that claim they are Nkrumahists.

Making a vertical analysis of what have been obtainable under each of the leaders since the departure of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, Rawlings concluded that almost all have turned out to be disappointments.

Addressing a delegation from the Association of Cuban Trained Ghanaian Professionals at his residence on Tuesday, the former president in fury condemned both the preceding and current governments, accusing them of not being able to better the living conditions of Ghanaians. According to him, the so-called Nkrumahists who claim to be following the legacy of Ghana’s first president have made Ghana worse than what it was some decades ago.

Acknowledging the fact that the country has good policies and strong institutions to drive the prosperity of its people, Mr Rawlings however said the current leaders have hindered their full implementation.

Recounting what happened during the 1979 coup which saw him out of government, he explained that he had no other option than to hand over power seeing that it was a time of rage during which the people were enraged.

He stated that his colleagues refused to heed his advice then. According to him, had it been they bought his idea, it would have yielded the good fruit of consolidation.

Explaining further, JJ Rawlings pointed out that leaders “often make reference to institutions but the institutions rely on the human factor and if those human entities are not bold enough to defy that which is wrong, that institution will be weak”.

Nkrumahists are not delivering

The former president went on to point out that he and his colleagues do not regard themselves as Nkrumahists, but then, those of them who do are the worst offenders; criminals. He added that from Mills till now, none of the government policies resemble what Nkrumah stood for or believed in. Concluding, he said,

We did everything possible to lift up this country and that’s why people kept wishing we were back. But as soon as we handed over; the guy turned the wheels one 180 degrees. Some of the most outrageous things were happening. I remember trying to tell Mills and giving him details about some of the issues but it surprised me though that for a brilliant man like him, [Mills] he couldn’t see. He was so shallow. Crime perpetuates itself if you don’t deal with it, and how Mills couldn’t see through this is something I couldn’t understand. It was so bad that even who had been misused to jail innocent people some in Ghana, some in Ivory Coast were on standby to escape and this as we were approaching the 2008 elections. But our brother Mils had been so badly persuaded. As he put it to me, he had been advised to let things be and the money will flow. Mills was disappointing. Some of your so-called intellectual creatures are dumb.

If we have been observant enough, we must have noted that the criticisms of former president Jerry Rawlings have always been directed towards his own party, the NDC. All the same, what do you think about his current misgivings as related in this article?

Please, let’s have you share your views with us at the comment session below.